Why i am dumping Spain to play for Nigeria

Spain youth international defender Derik Osede Prieto has revealed that he is dumping the opportunity of playing for the Spanish senior team for his fatherland, Nigeria.

Derik, who has played at all youth levels for Spain including two appearances for the Under-21 team, in an interview with BBC Sport stated that he is ready to represent Nigeria.

The 22-year-old centre-back, who is known simply as Derik, a regular for European giants Real Madrid’s B side, is eligible to play for the Super Eagles because his father is Nigerian.

And under Fifa rules he is free to switch because he has not yet played for a country’s senior national team.
Despite possessing the talent to potentially make the step up to Spain’s senior side, Derik has issued what appears to be effectively a come-and-get-me plea to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

“I have lived in Spain all my life and I am not sure the people in Nigeria are aware that I have

“But I crave for something special with Nigeria because it will give me a chance to properly connect with the ancestral home of my father.
“My father is from Benin City [southern Nigeria] and even though I have never been there I always follow events in Nigeria.

“I celebrated when the country won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 and I was cheering the team at the last World Cup in Brazil.”

“Playing for Spain was the foundation to where I am today and I can never take that for granted,” he said.
“You can’t throw away your education or outgrow it, Spain gave me what I have now and my hard work got me to where I am.
“But somehow I feel one half of my life has always been left untouched and I need to fix that.”

Derik has rejected suggestions he could be using Nigeria as a bargaining chip in his push for a call-up from the Spanish U-23 or senior selectors.
He insists: “Even if it’s difficult for some people to understand, I have made my decision [to represent Nigeria] and am going to stick to it.
“My father has not influenced my decision in any way. I respect him and adore his outlook on life but it’s my personal desire to play for Nigeria.

“When you look around Europe there are several Nigerian players playing at the top level and the future looks bright for the team.
“With that in mind I want to be a part of that group. I do not need favours from anyone, I only need an opportunity.
“I eat Nigeria’s wheat meal, listen to Nigerian music and play as Taribo West [former Nigeria central defender] on video games online.

“If I get a chance with Nigeria, I believe my versatility as a player will make me stand out.”

He also want to play for the senior team of Real Madrid

“I would like to play in the Real Madrid first team someday, knowing if I did that maybe the chance would be there to play for Nigeria,” he explained.
“But if I am not playing at the top level week in, week out, I wouldn’t expect to receive a call from anyone because that would be daydreaming.

“The immediate plan now is to go out on loan elsewhere, because at this age I need stability and regular football to fulfil my dream.
“Training alongside big players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Modric, Sergio Ramos and Pepe gives you a taste of what you can be as a footballer.
“The hard truth is that there is no available shortcut to reaching that level and staying there. I need to work extremely hard wherever I go and play first team football regularly.

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Just In:Nigeria Beats Libya 4-0

Odion Ighalo scores a hat-trick for Nigeria as they trounce visiting Libya national team 4-0 in an African Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday.

The match was played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

Ighalo, who plies his trade with the Chinese club, Changchun Yatai, grabbed the first goal from the penalty spot after a blunder from the Libyan goalkeeper in the second minute.

In the 58th minute, Arsenal’s midfielder, Alex Iwobi, delivered a lovely pass to Ighalo who maintained his composure, dribbled the goalkeeper and scored his second goal for Nigeria. He completed his hat-trick 10 minutes later after latching on a cross from Ahmed Musa.

Samuel Kalu completed the Super Eagles victory at the 91st minute.

The Super Eagles are second on the table with six points from three matches behind South Africa who are on seven